Beal out of Olympics for health and safety reasons

On a United States basketball team filled with stars, nobody scored more than Bradley Beal during the season.

At the top of his NBA game, he was finally set to take on the international one.

The coronavirus has wrecked his Olympic dreams.

Beal will miss the Olympics after being placed into health and safety protocols, and USA Basketball said on Thursday it will replace him on its roster at a later date.

“I’m dying for him,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “We all are.”

Hours later, the team’s exhibition game against Australia that was scheduled for last night in Las Vegas was cancelled because of health and safety protocols. USA Basketball cited “an abundance of caution” in making the decision.

The Americans also announced that forward Jerami Grant has also been placed in health and safety protocols “out of an abundance of caution”. Popovich said the Americans did not expect that his Olympics would be in jeopardy.

It is unclear if Beal has been vaccinated. He had started all three exhibition games for the US so far in Las Vegas, averaging 10.3 points on 10-for-21 shooting.

The Washington Wizards guard was second in the NBA this season with 31.3 points per game. Only Stephen Curry, who passed on the Olympics, averaged more.

TOUGH BLOW

Forward Bam Adebayo said he checked on Beal, who told him that he had no symptoms. Still, his news was a tough blow to the players who said they have been following safety recommendations and hoped for good health.

“It still definitely gives you PTSD, somebody catching COVID,” Adebayo said. “I remember when I had it, just one of those things I wouldn’t wish on anybody.”

Beal was expected to play for the Americans two years ago in the Basketball World Cup in China, but had to withdraw from consideration before training camp for family reasons.

He finally had his chance to suit up for the senior national team now and he seemed ready for it.

After scoring just two points in the Americans’ loss to Nigeria in their opener, he followed with 12 points against Australia and then had 17 on Tuesday against Argentina in the first US victory.

“Bradley, there’s no doubt, he’s a huge loss. He was playing every well, understanding everything and fit in well with the group,” Popovich said. “So there’s no next Bradley Beal.”

Beal’s NBA team was hit hard by a coronavirus outbreak early in the season and every club had to navigate players going in and out of the line-up because of the strict protocols in place.

Golden State’s Draymond Green said it’s difficult to see the impact the virus still has after 17 or 18 months and that it’s “still costing people the opportunities of a lifetime”.

“The experience, the opportunity to represent your country is one that we all dream about growing up,” Green said. “So to see that opportunity taken away, you can only sympathise with Brad.”

Green added that he hoped Beal would be given a gold medal if the Americans are able to win the tournament for the fourth straight time, because he had made the commitment.

– AP